1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security apparatus for use in combination with a sports accessory, such as a golfclub bag, and more particularly to a novel rack for releasably securing a plurality of golfclub bags including the golfclubs within the bag so as to prevent theft of the golfclubs.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the game of golf, it is common practice to utilize the facilities of golf courses or country clubs in which locker rooms are available for the change of clothes and for the unattended storage of golf bags containing a plurality of golfclubs. While unattended, it sometimes happens that the clubs are stolen or are otherwise removed from the golf bag so that the clubs are lost and unavailable to the owner for use during the game of golf.
Some attempts have been made to cover or otherwise hold the plurality of clubs in the bag so that removal can only be achieved by the owner. In this attempt, various types of covers have been designed to fit over the mouth of the club bag to completely enclose the golfclubs within the bag or to provide an opening for one or more shafts of the golfclubs which is large enough to accommodate one or more golfclub shafts, but not large enough to permit removal of the golfclubs, in a locked or closed configuration. Various covers are disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent Nos. 1,570,510; 1,928,922; and 1,908,998. Other attempts have been made which involved security devices requiring the inconvenience of turning the golfclubs upside down and which further require extensive modification of the conventional golf bag so as to accommodate a locking mechanism.
Still a more recent attempt to discourage or avoid unauthorized removal of golfclubs from a golf bag is disclosed in U.S. Letters Patent 4,863,019 which utilizes rigid arm members that grip one of more of the golfclub shafts and an extendable member which is hinged to a base so as to allow the arm members to swing over and away from the mouth of the golf bag.
Although the aforementioned apparatus has, to some extent, prevented theft and unauthorized removal of clubs from a bag, such mechanisms are extremely expensive and require modification of the golf bag itself in order to accommodate the securement device. Full securement is not always available inasmuch as portions of the apparatus can be removed or cut through so that full securement is not available.
Therefore, it has been a long-standing need to provide a security apparatus for a sports item, such as a golf bag including a plurality of golfclubs or in other instances, a pair of skis or the like which will fully retain or capture the accessory in a locked position subject to removal by authorized personnel. Preferably, the apparatus must accommodate a plurality of golf bags with their golfclubs and must not necessitate direct attachment or modification of the golf bag itself.